Match



Patented May 30, 1939 PATENT" OFFICE MATCH William W. Bell, Tenaily, N.1., assignor to Oelluloid Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey NoDrawing. Application January 25, 1935, Se-

rial No. 3,502. Renewed November 12, 1937 2 Claims. (01. 4H6) Thisinvention relates to the treatment of articles of wood, and similarmaterials, for instance, match sticks, railroad ties, flooring,shingles, poles, ship timber, etc., to render some fireproof,

5 fire retardant and/or preserved against decay, insect infestation,etc. This invention relates more particularly to the coating orimpregnating articles of wood and/or like porous or fibrous articleswitha tri-alkyl, aryl or alkyl-aryl phosl phate, an outstanding example ofwhich is tricresyl phosphate.

An object of this invention is the economic and expeditious treatment ofarticles of wood and similar material to reduce its flammability andincrease its resistance to rotting or otherwise fast deterioration uponexposure to the elements. Another object of the invention is thefireproofing of a part of the'match stick opposite to the head. Otherobjects of the invention will appear from the following detaileddescription.

One particular embodiment of this invention is the fire-proofing of thatpart of match sticks normally held by the fingers when employing lightedmatches or that part of the match stick 25 from less or more than a halfits length at the end opposite the head. Any suitable fireproofing agentmay be employed for this purpose such as ammonium salts for instanceammonium bromide and diammonium hydrogen phosphate, zinc 30 chloride,artificial waxes made by chlorinating naphthalene, chlorinated diphenylsand like materials. I have found however that the preferred fireprooflngmaterial is an alkyl or 'aryl phosphate as these have the property offlreprooflng the match stick, being colorless, odorless and tastelessand do not deteriorate or evaporate upon standing. Match sticks sotreated have the advantage of not burning down and injuring the fingers,they go out by themselves after a cer- 40 tain limited burning and noafterglow or flame- ,less burning part remains. These matches areextremely safe, as a lighted match dropped on a floor or other place hasa limited life and is therefore less liable to start an unintended fire.

45 Matches so treated, when they have burned tothe point oftlreproofln'g, immediately go out and quickly cool down without holdinga red hot centre part as do untreated matches. When the match burns outthere is no afterglow and this 50 in itself is a safeguard againstunintended fires. Another embodiment of this invention is thesimultaneous treatment of wooden articles to render them. slow burningand/or fireproof and resistant to decay, rot or attack by the elements55 such as water. bacteria, fungi, insects and salts such as containedin sea water. The wood so treated has the advantage over creosoted woodin that no oilensive odor is produced nora material change in color.Furthermore, wood so treated may be coated with paint, lacquer and ,5the like which do not adhere to fireproofed wood processed by the priorprocesses. Wooden articles flreproofed by impregnating same with anorganic ester of phosphoric acid may be painted, enameled and/orotherwise coated for color effect and surface protection as thefireproofing material, if anything, increases the acceptability of thewood to take and retain such coatings.

In accordance with my invention, I coat or impregnate wooden articleswith a tri-alkyl, aryl or alkyl-aryl ester of phosphoric acid to renderthe same fireproof and preserved against fast decay or deteriorationupon exposure to water, atmosphere and earth. Also, in accordance withmy invention, I fireproof and preserve a part of a wooden article,leaving the remaining part untreated such as fireproofing and preservingthat part of matches held by the fingers when employing same.

Although the preferred treating substance contains tricresyl phosphate,it may be replaced in whole or in part with any suitable alkyl, aryl oralkyl-aryl phosphate. Thus, broadly, any of the organic esters of thephosphoric acids may be employed and especially those-that arenonvolatile at normal temperatures, water insoluble and chemicallystable or inactive. Examples of the phosphoric esters that areapplicable are the homogeneous aryl phosphoric acid ester as where Itrefers to any radical of any one of the phenols; the mixed arylphosphoric acid esters as om ro o R2 o as 2 arcane where R4 representsany alkyl radical; the mixed alkyl esters of phosphoric acid as PO O R9ORlO where R8, R9 and R10 are either phenyl radicals and/or radicals ofhydroxy aliphatic compounds,

such as butyl alcohol, ether glycols and polyglycols, etc.

Examples of some of phosphoric acid esters are tributyl phosphate,triamyl phosphate, tribetachlorethyl phosphate. triphenyl phosphate,di-' butyl phenyl phosphate, tricresyl. phosphate (all isomers andchemical mixtures of same as more fully described in U. S. applicationsNo. 706,360 filed January 12, 1934; No. 718,436 March 31, 1934; and No.720,448 filed April 13, 1934) monocresyldiphenyl phosphate, trixylenylphosphate, trinaphthyl phosphate, tribenzyl phosphate, triorthodiphenylphosphate, phosphate esters of glycol ethers and the corresponding thiophosphates of some of the above compounds.

This invention is applicable to any woodeii article that it is desiredto fireproof, make slow burning and/or preserve. Examples of sucharticles are, finger holding portion of match sticks, railroad ties dplatform timbers, warehouse floor boards, piers, pileabcardwalks, barnor other building boards, shingles? etc. It is also applicable in aspecial way to timbers and siding used in the construction of ships asit not only flreproofs and preserves but also aids in retaining acoating of paint, lacquer, varnish, etc., and in creases the woodsresistance to the destructive elements of sea water such as the actionof salts, dry rot, marine life, etc.

The wooden articles may be treated with the material in any suitablemanner. When' small, thin, light or porous wood. is employed such asfound in match sticks, etc., the mere dipping of same in the liquidtreating material is found .suillclent.. In treating large poles andrailroad ties and the like, the wood may first have a vacuum appliedthereto and then the treating liquid forced into the wood underpressure. In certain cases, the wood may be soaked in heated treatingliquid.

For treating match sticks. the match stick may be'caused to dip thedesired depth into a treating liquid consisting of a liquid organicester of phos-' phoric acid such as tricresyl phosphate. However, ifdesired, the match sticks or any other wooden article may be partiallyor wholly impregnated with organic esters of phosphoric acid, such astriphenyl phosphate, which is normally solid but for the purpose oftreating maintained in a molten or fluid state. Aqueous emulsions of theabove phosphate esters may also be satisfactorily employed.

Other materials may be incorporated in the treating material such asammonium salts, chlorlnated naphthalenes, chlorinated diphenyls, etc.The fireprooflng material, if solid, may be dissolved in a solvent or ifliquid it may be thinned with a thinner,for example, acetone, alcohols,

ethers, carbon tetrachloride, etc. The treating liquid may also containsolidifying materials such as resins, natural or artificial, and theesters or ethers of cellulose. Although the esters and ethers ofcellulose are flammable, they become non-flammable when mixed with ordissolved in the organic ester or phosphoric acid. By incorporating suchsolidifying materials in the treating liquid, a more solid article isproduced than the natural wood with the result that the wooden articleis less apt to break. Examples of the esters and ethers of cellulose arecellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, cellulosepropionate, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, benzyl cellulose andnitrated cellulose acetate.

As illustrations and not as limitations the following examples oftreating liquids are given:

Example I Liquid 'tricresyl phosphate.

This material readily penetrates soft woods as spruce, .white'pine, etc.The wood properly treated with same will not burn except with a. veryhigh applied heat. There is no odor, color or tackiness imparted to thewood. Paints, lacquers and varnishes may be applied to the treated wood.Soft wood of less than 1 inch thickness may be fireproofed by immersionfor minutes or less in the liquid. Hard woods such as oak, mahogany,etc., or articles over 1 inch in thickness may require longer periods oftreatment. Much less than 1 minute is required for treating smallarticles such as match sticks.

Example 11 Parts Liquid tricresyl phosphate 100 Nitro cellulose orequivalent -25 Mutual solvent (acetone) 300 The wooden article is dippedif small, and soaked if large, in the bath, removed and dried. Thewooden article is impregnated and coated with the tricresyl phosphateand solidifying ma- The wooden article is dipped if small, and soaked iflarge, in the bath, removed and dried. The results are the same as thoseof Example H.

Paper or book matches may be treated according to this invention in amanner similar to wood matches. Thus, in the making of matches, aboutone half the stem, whether paper orwood, may be treated with a parafllnto cause its quick catching aflame and to support the combustion, whilethe remaining part or at least a section of the remaining part may betreated with a fireproofing material. The head, whether of the safetytype or strike anywhere type, may be placed upon the paraflln treatedend. Any order of treatments may be employed, for instance, the handleend of the match stem may be flreproofed after the match is otherwisecompleted.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merelygiven by way of illustration and many alterations may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I desire 2. A fireproof matchcapable of being stained to secure by Letters Patent is: or printedcomprising a stem of combustible ma- 1. A fireproof match capable ofbeing stained terial having a head at one end and a portion of orprinted comprising a stem of combustible mathe other end impregnatedwith a fireproofing terial having a head at one end and a portion ofmaterial containing tricresyl phosphate. 5 the other end impregnatedwith a fireproofing I material containing an aryl ester of phosphoricWILLIAM W. BELL.

acid.

CERTIFICATE OF CORREGTIGN.

Patent No. 2,160,115. May 50, 1959.

WILLIAM W. BELL.

It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the printed specification ofthe above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, firstcolumn, line 26, after the serial number "718,L 56" insert the wordfiled; and second column, line 7, for "or" read of; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay, conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this hth day of July, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Having described my invention, what I desire 2. A fireproof matchcapable of being stained to secure by Letters Patent is: or printedcomprising a stem of combustible ma- 1. A fireproof match capable ofbeing stained terial having a head at one end and a portion of orprinted comprising a stem of combustible mathe other end impregnatedwith a fireproofing terial having a head at one end and a portion ofmaterial containing tricresyl phosphate. 5 the other end impregnatedwith a fireproofing I material containing an aryl ester of phosphoricWILLIAM W. BELL.

acid.

CERTIFICATE OF CORREGTIGN.

Patent No. 2,160,115. May 50, 1959.

WILLIAM W. BELL.

It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the printed specification ofthe above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, firstcolumn, line 26, after the serial number "718,L 56" insert the wordfiled; and second column, line 7, for "or" read of; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay, conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this hth day of July, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

